Rashid Khan will step in as captain for Gujarat Titans in place of the injured Shubman Gill, who is sidelined with a muscle spasm. The Rajasthan Royals have won the toss and opted to bat in the ninth match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Gujarat Titans are eager to secure their first win this season after narrowly missing out in their previous match against the Punjab Kings. Despite setting a decent target of 162/6, their bowlers faltered in the crucial moments, allowing Punjab to chase down the score with five deliveries remaining.
On the other hand, Rajasthan Royals enter the game with confidence following a convincing win over the Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati. They restricted CSK to 127 runs before comfortably chasing the target in under 13 overs. Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger shone with the ball, while Vaibhav Suryavanshi impressed with a quick fifty.
In past encounters, Gujarat Titans have generally dominated this rivalry, winning six out of the eight matches against Rajasthan Royals. RR have secured two victories, with their latest win in April 2025. Notably, the Titans also emerged victorious in their first clash back in April 2022, setting the stage for an intriguing contest.
Rajasthan Royals’ skipper Riyan Parag, after winning the toss, expressed intentions to bat first and set a competitive total. He emphasized the team’s adaptability to various conditions and the need for a flexible approach in their gameplay. Making two changes in the lineup, Tushar Deshpande and Shubham Dubey were brought in for Brijesh and Bishnoi, respectively.
On the other side, Gujarat Titans’ stand-in captain Rashid Khan mentioned their preference to bowl first on a fresh pitch. Despite Gill’s absence, Kumar Kushagra is set to make his debut, adding to the team’s excitement. Khan highlighted the areas for improvement in their bowling and batting from the previous game, aiming to deliver a top-notch performance and build on their strengths.
